Apple could face U.S. lawsuit related to iPad trademark dispute in China

Michael Kan |
Feb. 17, 2012

A trademark dispute in China over the iPad could spill over into U.S courts, after a little-known Chinese company threatened on Friday to sue Apple in the U.S. for among other things allegedly setting up a "fake company" to purchase the rights to the trademark.

Chinese companies have approached Proview about licensing the iPad trademark for use in branding their products, Li said. One company for example wants to use the iPad trademark on an electronics device for children, he said.

Apple maintains it has ownership over the iPad trademark, stating that Proview refuses to honor the agreement. The U.S. tech giant is also appealing a December court ruling in China that rejected the company's claim over the trademark.